Tucking into turkey, gorging on pumpkin pie, gazing endlessly at gripping gridiron games. However, before all those Thanksgiving Day traditions get in full swing, the world-famous Macy's Parade in New York City kicks off the annual festivities. The forecasted rain won’t dampen the enthusiastic Thanksgiving Day crowds in ‘The Big Apple’ on Thursday morning, with the 98th Parade expected to be the biggest and best yet. Every year, over 3 million people gather in New York to take in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, with around another 30 million tuning in from the comfort of their homes to watch it.
The Thanksgiving Day Parade, presented by department store chain Macy's, is the most-watched Parade on the planet. It’s become a beloved national tradition since first taking place in 1924. On Thanksgiving Day that year, Macy’s employees marched to their New York flagship store, dressed in vibrant costumes. Floats, bands, and live animals were on show at Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first Parade, Santa Claus was enthroned on the balcony above the store entrance on 34th Street.
Getty Images The parade was such a success that Macy declared it would become an annual event, and it has occurred every year since, apart from three years during World War II. As well as fabulous floats and amazing dance and musical performances, the parade is renowned for its huge helium balloons of famous cartoon and pop culture characters, which, on average, reach six stories tall. As well as celebrating Thanksgiving Day, Macy’s Parade is now seen as an event that also ushers in the start of the Christmas festive season.
Let GOAL show you everything you need to know about watching this year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, including timings, streaming links and more.
What time is the Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade gets underway in New York from 8:30 am ET on Thursday, November 28 and will finish around noon approximately.
What TV channel is Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on?
Tune into NBC from 8:30 am until noon to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live. The event has been televised nationally on NBC since 1953. The station airs the Parade live in the Eastern Time zone, but tape delays the telecast elsewhere in the country, from the Central Time zone westward, to allow the Parade to air in the same 8:30 am to noon time slot. An encore show will also be screened on NBC at 2 pm ET.
How to stream Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will simulstream live on Peacock (NBC’s streaming service). You’ll only need Peacock Premium to catch all the action, which costs just $7.99 per month.
Another great streaming service that lets you watch the parade live is Fubo. Fubo packages start at $79.99 a month ($30 off your first month right now), and they offer all-inclusive free 7-day trials before you pay. Fubo’s massive streaming plans carry up to 200+ channels, and you can get even more depending on your location. For avid sports fans, Fubo is the ultimate choice as it provides access to the most popular sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL & MLS. International soccer fans can also enjoy some of the world’s most popular leagues, such as the Premier League and La Liga. Most Fubo plans allow you to stream on up to 10 devices simultaneously.
How long is the Parade?
Getty Images Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has always occurred in Manhattan, although the route has been altered several times. Central Park West & 77th Street is the starting point for the current 2.5-mile parade route (8:30 am) on Thanksgiving Day morning. The Parade continues to Columbus Circle, turns east onto Central Park South, heads south on 6th Avenue before turning west at 34th Street and ending at 7th Avenue in front of Macy's Herald Square. The best place to watch the Parade is along Central Park West, between West 75th and West 61st Streets. Arrive early (think 6 am) to get a good spot!
What are the new floats this year?
Getty Images A total of 34 fabulous floats will weave their way from Central Park West & 77th Street to Macy's Herald Square during this year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Of course, Tom Turkey, first introduced in 1973, is set for another appearance. However, seven of the floats are brand new to the spectacular occasion, and those are:
- Candy Cosmos (by Haribo) - Goldbear & friends are going where no gummi has gone before.
- Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest (by Nickelodeon & Paramount) - Dora (& her best friend Boots) returns to the Macy’s Parade for the first time in 15 years. Keep your eyes & ears peeled for Swiper the mischievous fox !!
- Magic Meets the Seas (by Disney Cruise Line) - Captain Mickey, Captain Minnie & friends are back in the Big Apple.
- Pasta Knight (by Rao’s Homemade) - Pasta Knight and his trusty steed face off against a fire-breathing dragon. Pasta Knight's armor includes a variety of pasta shapes, like Fusilli, Penne & Rigatoni.
- SpongeBob SquarePants Garriage (by Nickelodeon & Paramount +) - Get ready for the Garriage, an electrifying, Gary-shaped carriage from Bikini Bottom that’s set to spread slow-moving smiles across NYC
- Wondrous World of Wildlife (by the Bronx Zoo) - The iconic Bronx Zoo is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.
- Wednesday’s Feast (by Netflix) - Wednesday hates Thanksgiving. Wednesday hates Parades. But Wednesday loves embarrassing her younger brother Pugsley.
What are the new balloons this year?
Getty Images Another one of the most iconic features of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is, of course, its gigantic balloons, which are usually modelled after famous TV and movie characters. In the past, we’ve witnessed the likes of Snoopy (8 times), Ronald McDonald (5 times), Popeye, Kermit the Frog, Woody Woodpecker, The Pink Panther, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Cat in the Hat, Pikachu and Buzz Lightyear. 2024 sees six new recruits to the balloon ranks. They are:
- Disney’s Minnie Mouse (by the Walt Disney Company) - Amazingly, everyone’s favorite sweetheart, Disney’s Minnie Mouse is making her Parade debut.
- Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf (by the Lumistella Company) - Santa's magical arctic fox, Extraordinary Noorah, will help spread the magic throughout New York City, joined by Scout Elf (from Elf on the Shelf fame).
- Gabby (by Dreamworks Animation) - Gabby is the star of the hugely popular Gabby’s Dollhouse series. Gabby shrinks down inside her dollhouse to go on cat-tastic adventures filled with surprises with her best friend, Pandy Paws
- Goku (by Dragon Ball/Toei Animation) - Goku, the legendary hero of the Dragon Ball franchise, returns in an all-new design.
- Marshall from PAW Patrol (by Nickelodeon) - Marshall, the Dalmation of PAW Patrol, is "fired up" and prepared for his first Parade appearance.
- Spider-Man (by Marvel) - The Amazing Spider-Man returns to the streets of New York City for the first time in over a decade.
As well as floats and balloons, don’t forget to check out the ‘falloons’ (float-based balloons), and the self-powered balloon vehicles known as ‘balloonicles’, which were introduced in 1990 and 2004 respectively.
Who will perform at the 2024 Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Aside from the usual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade appearances from the Radio City Rockettes (who’ve performed annually since 1958) and the big, bearded fella in the red suit (yes, Santa Claus), there are some stellar entertainers ready to strut their stuff in New York during the 2024 parade. This year's star-studded lineup includes Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue, Idina Menzel, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, The Temptations, and many more. Rumours abound that Cynthia Erivo will also be bringing some Wicked flair to Manhattan, just a week after the film's record-breaking release.